Christmas email to donors: three examples for associations

Three ready-to-use Christmas emails to donors with subject and button: invitation, update, thanks. Plus timeline, § 7 UWG and double opt-in explained.

In short A Christmas campaign needs three emails to donors at most: an invitation, a progress update and a thank-you. Below you will find all three as sample texts with a subject line and a button. Only send to people who have explicitly agreed, ideally through double opt-in. That keeps your association within § 7 UWG.

this article describes the rules in Germany.

Why three emails are enough

Each email has one goal and a single button. The invitation opens the campaign, the progress update keeps it going and the thank-you closes it. More emails over six weeks tire your supporters, fewer let the campaign get lost in the inbox.

When to send what

The table shows a schedule for a campaign running from mid-November to Christmas. The dates are a suggestion, so adapt them to your end date.

TimingGoalSubject lineButton
End of NovemberInvitation, first donationsWe need your help for ChristmasDonate now
Mid-DecemberProgress update, keep momentumAlready €2,150: help us reach the goalJoin in
Between Christmas and New YearThanks, loyaltyThank you: here is what your gift achievedSee the result

Email 1: the invitation

The first email explains in a few sentences what you are raising money for, until when and how people can help. Here is an example for a made-up association, and the figures are example figures.

Subject: We need your help for Christmas

Hello [first name],

The association Sonnenhof e. V. wants to give 40 families a warm Christmas meal this year. To do that, we are raising €3,000 by 20 December. Even a small gift turns an empty table into a celebration.

Button: Donate now

Thank you so much from your team at Sonnenhof. Do not want these emails any more? Unsubscribe here.

Email 2: the progress update

This email shows that the campaign is alive. Say what has been achieved, what is still missing and how many days are left. A concrete gap motivates more than a general appeal.

Subject: Already €2,150: help us reach the goal

Hello [first name],

Thanks to you and many others, €2,150 has been raised. That is enough for 28 families. For the remaining families we still need €850, and we have five days left. Donate yourself, or start your own action page among your friends.

Button: Join in

Your team at Sonnenhof. Unsubscribe here.

Email 3: the thank-you

The thank-you is the one most often forgotten and it builds loyalty the most. Report what was achieved, and say honestly if the goal was not quite reached. Mention the donation receipt only if your association is allowed to issue one.

Subject: Thank you: here is what your gift achieved

Hello [first name],

On 24 December, 40 families sat down at a laid table. That was only possible because of you. If you need a Zuwendungsbestätigung (the official German tax receipt for a donation), you will get one from us, just reply briefly to this email. In January we will tell you what happens next.

Button: See the result

Your team at Sonnenhof. Unsubscribe here.

Subject line and button: what matters

The subject line decides whether the email is opened, the button whether anyone acts. Word both deliberately.

  • Keep the subject line short so it stays readable on a phone.
  • Name a concrete figure or purpose, for example €2,150 or 40 families.
  • Avoid capital letters and exclamation marks.
  • Use exactly one button per email, with a verb, such as Donate now.

Test the email on your phone before sending. Many people read association emails on their phone, and a button that cannot be tapped there costs donations.

Who you may email: § 7 UWG and double opt-in

Under § 7 (2) no. 2 UWG (the German act against unfair competition), advertising by email without prior explicit consent counts as an unacceptable nuisance. The exception in § 7 (3) UWG concerns businesses that obtain addresses when selling a product or service. Whether a donation falls under it is not confirmed. So assume you need consent.

In their Orientierungshilfe (guidance) on direct marketing (version of February 2022), the German data protection authorities state that double opt-in is required for electronic consent. It works like this:

  1. The person enters their address in a form.
  2. They receive an email with a confirmation link.
  3. Only after the click are they considered subscribed.
  4. You store the time and the confirmation as proof.

According to the guidance, a stored IP address alone is not enough as proof. Offer an unsubscribe option in every email. The competent authority for your association is the data protection authority of your federal state, so ask there if you are unsure. This is not legal advice.

Donation receipt and year end

Donations count in the calendar year of payment, so under § 11 EStG up to 31 December. There is no guarantee here for the last days of the year. Up to €300, a bank statement is often enough for the donor, otherwise they need a Zuwendungsbestätigung in the official template.

Only an association with a valid exemption notice (Freistellungsbescheid) no older than five years may issue it. Incorrect confirmations lead to liability of 30 percent. Check this before you promise a receipt in the thank-you email.

How it works with WeGlow.world

The button in your emails needs a destination. With WeGlow.world you set up a donation page in three steps: amount, personal details, summary. Donors give one-off or monthly, with your own amounts and labels such as “A warm meal”. The page works on mobile. A thank-you text that you set up is sent automatically after the donation.

Supporters can start their own action page, which email 2 points to. There are also four Christmas experiences, which are still a concept until the official launch. In the Glow Room every donation becomes a decoration on the Christmas tree, in the Starry Sky a star. Read more in the article Online Christmas campaign. To get started, go here to sign up.

You will find ideas for the format in Christmas fundraising ideas for associations, and the schedule in Planning a Christmas campaign: timeline.

Frequently asked questions

Five questions associations ask about the Christmas email.

How many emails make sense for a Christmas campaign?

Three are enough: invitation, progress update and thank-you. Spread over about six weeks, each email stays an event. More emails only make sense if your recipients explicitly want them.

May we email all our previous donors?

Only with explicit consent. Whether the exception in § 7 (3) UWG applies to donors is not confirmed. If in doubt, ask the data protection authority of your federal state.

Is double opt-in mandatory?

The data protection authorities say it is required for electronic consent, mainly because consent must be provable. Whether a court might decide differently in a specific case, we cannot say.

What open rates are realistic?

We give no figure, because we have no dated, verifiable source for associations. Better to measure your own first email and compare later.

What belongs in every email?

A clear goal, one button, a sender with the association's name and an unsubscribe option. Also check that your site shows a complete Impressum (the legally required provider details) and a privacy policy.

Sources

Articles